Women Entrepreneurship through Microfinance: A Case Study of SHG Bank Linkage Programme in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

As a developing country, India is facing the problem of poverty and unemployment like any other under developed country. With the initiation of NABARD through its Self Help Group Bank Linkage Programme in 1992, Self Help Groups (SHGs) were linked with banks. Formation of SHGs in rural areas to generate micro credits has become viable units to support various activities related to agriculture, dairy, cattle grazing, rural enterprises and the like. SHGs enhance the equality of status of women as participants by empowering them and also now society is considering women as opinion leaders. The overall objective of the present micro level study is to analyze the economic empowerment of women through SHGs in some selected districts of the then Andhra Pradesh (before bifurcation of the State into Telengana and Andhra Pradesh) and to study and demonstrate that SHGs are the best formal micro level finance institutions to generate additional employment and income for needy people by involving them in planning and decision making. The study reveals that many members as individual and also as group are involved in entrepreneurial activities. It was also observed that there is lot of scope for SHGs to take up venture.